Middletown man charged with stealing same car twice

A Middletown man is accused of stealing the same car twice in a single week.

By Scott Goss

A Middletown man is accused of stealing the same car twice in a single week.

Matthew Brennan, a 21-year-old resident of E. Hampstead Court, first allegedly stole the 2012 Ford Focus from outside the Hardee’s in the Dove Run Center’s parking lot off of East Main St. in Middletown on March 22.

Middletown police said Brennan was a co-worker of the car’s female owner and likely stole her car keys from her purse while she was working.

On March 28, police found the stolen car in the same parking lot, bearing a license plate stolen from a vehicle owned by a Newark woman.

The car keys were not recovered at that time and the vehicle was stolen a second time soon after police turned it over to its owner.

Police arrested Brennan a short time later after stopping the vehicle, which this time was bearing a stolen license plate belonging to the vehicle of a Middletown woman.

Brennan is charged with two counts of motor vehicle theft, three counts of theft under $1,500 and one count of criminal mischief.

He also was wanted by Delaware State Police at the time of his arrest.

Following an arraignment, Brennan was released on a $6,100 unsecured bond, police said.

A spokesman for the Middletown Hardee’s said Brennan is no longer employed there.